Town of Mount Desert
Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes
January 6, 2014
A meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held this date in the Meeting Room, Town Hall, Northeast Harbor, Maine.
Those present included: Chairman Tom Richardson; Selectmen Martha Dudman, John Macauley, and Dennis Shubert; staff members Town Manager Durlin Lunt, Treasurer Kathi Mahar, Public Works Director Tony Smith, Fire Chief Mike Bender, Harbormaster John Lemoine and Town Clerk/Recording Secretary Joelle Nolan; and members of the public.
I. Call to order at 6:30 p.m.
Chairman Richardson called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
II. Public Hearing(s)
A. None
III. Minutes
A. None presented.
IV. Appointments & Recognitions
A. Confirm Appointment of Sgt. Leigh Guildford as Animal Control Officer
MOTION: Selectman Shubert moved, seconded by Selectman Macauley, to confirm the appointment of Sgt. Leigh Guildford as Animal Control Officer. The vote was in favor, 4-0.
B. Confirm Appointment of Sgt. Leigh Guildford as Shellfish Conservation Warden
MOTION: Selectman Macauley moved, seconded by Selectman Shubert, to confirm the appointment of Sgt. Leigh Guildford as Shellfish Conservation Warden. The vote was in favor, 4-0.
C. Recognize Town Clerk Joelle Nolan’s Achievement of Lifetime Certification as Certified Clerk of Maine
MOTION: Selectman Shubert moved, seconded by Selectman Macauley, to recognize Town Clerk Joelle Nolan’s achievement of Lifetime Certification as Certified Clerk of Maine. The vote was in favor, 4-0.
V. Consent Agenda (These items are considered routine, and therefore, may be passed by the Selectmen in one blanket motion. Board members may remove any item for discussion by requesting such action prior to consideration of that portion of the agenda.)
A. Department Reports: Fire, Public Works, Treasurer
B. Hancock County Commissioners Information Meeting Minutes November 20, 2013
C. PERC Partnership Update
Selectman Shubert referred to Fire Chief Bender’s monthly report for December 2013 and expressed his concerns about recruitment of volunteer firefighters. Since his days on the Protection Committee, he has questioned whether enough is being done to recruit and compensate. Fire Chief Bender said he is working with members of the Fire Department to develop short and long term solutions for recruitment. Their ultimate goal is to reach everyone in town. They believe money won’t necessarily solve the problem. Time constraints for training and volunteering are a major issue.
Fire Chief Bender explained some of the latest pay issues due to the Fair Labor Standards Act and maintaining volunteer basis. The volunteers want to remain volunteers and not become part time employees. Selectman Dudman asked what the target group number is and Fire Chief Bender replied he is looking for 4 – 6 recruits willing to go to the training academy, which takes a minimum of 200 hours. Chairman Richardson said trying to recruit is not new; volunteering is a huge commitment with a small pool to choose from. We are dealing with long-term volunteers and an average age of 50+. He doesn’t see the availability of longterm, young volunteers; we need to consider alternatives as Fire Chief Bender suggests. Full-time, paid firefighters may be inevitable.
Fire Chief Bender said fire companies throughout the country are making the transition to combined volunteer and paid firefighters. Our options are limited by not having “housing” for firefighters at the station. Selectman Shubert noted that a few years ago some towns used retirement plans, such as a 401k, as an incentive to entice new recruits. Fire Chief Bender talked about a length of service pay program and legislature currently being considered in Augusta to pass this program; however, it is more of a retention tool than recruitment. Further discussion called for the need of a “road map” and demonstrating the need for volunteer firefighters.
MOTION: Selectman Dudman moved, seconded by Selectman Macauley, to accept Consent Agenda items A – C as presented. The vote was in favor, 4-0.
VI. Selectmen’s Reports
VII. Old Business
A. Special Town Meeting February 24, 2014, Vote from Planning Board
Board acknowledged receipt of notification from the Planning Board of its recommendations to pass the proposed changes to the Land Use Zoning Ordinance for the Special Town Meeting February 24, 2014.
B. Special Town Meeting February 24, 2014, Draft Warrant
MOTION: Selectman Dudman moved, seconded by Selectman Macauley to approve the February 24, 2014 Special Town Meeting Warrant as presented. The vote was in favor, 4-0.
Board requested Town office staff to schedule a public hearing for its February 6, 2014 meeting.
C. Seal Harbor Comfort Station, Update
Referring to Public Works Director Smith’s memo dated January 2, 2014,
MOTION: Selectman Shubert moved, seconded by Selectman Macauley, to engage the services of CES, Inc, and WMH Architects for surveying and design services, respectively, with fees not-to-exceed $3,700 and $6,485, respectively, paid from Technical Services line of the Highway Division budget, and to authorize Public Works Director Smith to sign the contracts. The vote was in favor, 4-0.
D. Revised 2014-2015 Budget Development Schedule
Acknowledged.
VIII. New Business
A. Board of Selectmen Vacant Slot
Chairman Richardson described the options, as stated in section 2.3 Elected Officials – Vacancy of Office of the Town Charter: the Board can do nothing and the position will be filled at the next annual town meeting; it can appoint someone until the next annual town meeting; or it can hold a special election to fill the vacancy. Selectman Dudman said she would like to have a 5th member now; Selectman Macauley said he was on the fence; and Selectman Shubert said he had concerns about maintaining a quorum for voting purposes.
Board requested Town office staff to advertise and put a notice on the website; and members agreed to recruit. All agreed it would be beneficial, but certainly not mandatory, if the person is budget savvy and from the Somesville area. The goal is to have a short list by February.
MOTION: Selectman Dudman moved, seconded by Selectman Macauley, to have the Board find and appoint a member to serve until the next annual town meeting; and to have Town office staff advertise and put a notice on the Town website. The vote was in favor, 4-0.
Board discussed the lack of a vice-chairman and the ramifications.
MOTION: Chairman Richardson moved, seconded by Selectman Macauley to elect Selectman Shubert as vice-chairman. The vote was in favor, 3-0-1 with Selectman Shubert abstaining.
B. Such other business as may be legally conducted
Treasurer Kathi Mahar announced she will start the alternative signing method for Employee Wage and Benefit Warrants, State Fee Warrants and Municipal Education Warrants this week [as proposed in her memo to the Board in a memo dated November 1, 2013 and approved at the November 4, 2013 Board meeting]. She researched the use of electronic signatures and found it to be cost prohibitive and unnecessary since the warrants are public [rather than confidential]. Warrants will be scanned and emailed to all Board members. Since only one approval is necessary, any Board member replying will “reply to all” to alert everyone that the task is done.
IX. Treasurer’s Warrants
A. Approve & Sign Treasurer’s Warrant #AP1438 in the amount of $615,993.80
B. Approve Signed Treasurer’s Payroll & State Fee Warrant #28, #29, #30, #PR1431, #AP1435, #AP1437and #AP1436 in the amount of $51,399.83, $53,920.45, $4,036.90, $49,537.17, $2,241.00, $884.06 and $59,268.75 respectfully
C. Acknowledge Treasurer’s School Board Payroll/AP Warrant #13 and#14 in the amount of $139,495.32 and $55,871.08 respectfully
MOTION: Selectman Macauley moved, seconded by Selectman Shubert, to approve and acknowledge Treasurer’s Warrants A – C totaling $1,032,648.36. The vote was unanimous in favor, 4-0.
X. Executive Session
A. None
XI. Adjournment
MOTION: At 7:24 p.m., Selectman Dudman moved, seconded by Selectman Shubert, to adjourn the meeting. The vote was unanimous in favor, 4-0.
Respectfully submitted,
John B. Macauley
Secretary
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